When is migration a maladaptive response to climate change?

Christine L Jacobson; Stacy Crevello; Chanthan Chea; Ben Jarihani

doi:10.1007/s10113-018-1387-6

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When is migration a maladaptive response to climate change?

Journal article

Open access

Peer reviewed

When is migration a maladaptive response to climate change?

Christine L Jacobson, Stacy Crevello, Chanthan Chea and Ben Jarihani

Regional Environmental Change, Vol.19(1), pp.101-112

2019

DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10113-018-1387-6

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Abstract

food security

adaptation

Cambodia

resilience

gender

Climate change affects rainfall variability and food security, in some cases leading to migration. Improved understanding about the interactions between climate and food security is needed before we can determine whether migration is a truly adaptive response in poorer countries. Without this understanding, it is difficult to design effective strategies that ensure climate resilient development. We present an analysis of climate, food security, migration, and its consequences from 218 households in three locations in North-western Cambodia, the most climate vulnerable nation in SE Asia. Results show that migration occurs in up to 45% of households, over half of which is climate-related. Migration causes labour shortages and welfare issues, but does not necessarily improve food security. This and climate trends lead us to argue that migration may be maladaptive over the long term, resulting in a climate-induced poverty trap. Instead, livelihood adaptations are needed that address (i) changing community demographics resulting from young male migrants, (ii) migration seasonality, associated labour shortages and gender role implications, and (iii) the burden of food insecurity. Only then can we avoid the maladaptive climate migration poverty trap.

Details

Title: When is migration a maladaptive response to climate change?
Authors: Christine L Jacobson (Author) - University of the Sunshine Coast - Faculty of Arts, Business and Law
Stacy Crevello (Author) - United Nations Food and Agriculture Organisation, Cambodia
Chanthan Chea (Author) - United Nations Food and Agriculture Organisation, Cambodia
Ben Jarihani (Author) - University of the Sunshine Coast - Faculty of Arts, Business and Law
Publication details: Regional Environmental Change, Vol.19(1), pp.101-112
Publisher: Springer
Date published: 2019
DOI: 10.1007/s10113-018-1387-6
ISSN: 1436-3798
Copyright note: Copyright © 2018 The Authors. This article is distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons At tribution 4.0 International License (http:/ / creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/), which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided you give appropriate credit to the original author(s) and the source, provide a link to the Creative Commons license, and indicate if changes were made.
Organisation Unit: Australian Centre for Pacific Islands Research; School of Social Sciences - Legacy; University of the Sunshine Coast, Queensland; School of Science, Technology and Engineering; Sustainability Research Cluster
Language: English
Record Identifier: 99450901902621
Output Type: Journal article